Friday, December 12, 2008

Last Goodbye


I have been thinking about Jeff Buckley, Chief Seattle, my brief stint as a bush league manager, and the idea behind this blog.


Jeff was famous for not wanting to be famous. He tried to stay true to his early roots (as a solo acoustic coffee house God) and did his first tour in little clubs playing solo for people who hardly knew him. He had a theory about playing for people that loved you all the time: what's the point? If you were really talented as an artist and you had something to say as a song writer, wouldn't any people, any where, want to hear it and respond? The hype he had wanted for so long was strangling him, and he fled to Memphis where his light finally went out.


Trinkets. They are the downfall of us all. Cell phones, cars, money guns, allies, liquor and external validation. If the trinket is dialed, and the salesman has a good pitch, all walk away from their principles like children off a playground to a strangers car. When the need is at it's most desperate and the temptation is strong, any person will abandon his path, art, or morals. It is sad to watch and even worse to experience first hand.


Chief Seattle had trouble holding off a local tribe, when he saw the first ship in the sound. Deals were struck. They helped him, he helped them and a chain was established that altered the fabric of everything he knew and held dear. We all know how these stories end, with a warrior on a reservation, looking back at a lost kingdom, wondering how things could have drifted so far, and how easy it was to sign in blood.


I believed I was a good person in the swirling toilet of the music world. I was determined to bring an honest approach to the demonic horde and I held my initial concepts close. I wanted more than anything to protect my band, in a way no one had ever done for me. I wanted to rectify all the bad decisions I had made as an artist, and punish the club they wouldn't let me join. And oh yeah, I wanted to get rich. What could possibly go wrong? When I met the band the youngest member was sixteen. His parents had to sign a letter of intent to let me be his manager. He once scolded me for taking the Lords name in vain at a studio. Fourteen months later, I walked in a Hollywood hotel room and found he and his model girlfriend, snorting cocaine off each other. I should have put up my hands, and taken that kid home, but there was a video to shoot, a single to break, a record to drop and I was so deep into my Arie Gold phase by then, it all seemed like a day at the office. The cat was in the cradle.


People want what they want, and the more powerful the desire, the greater the fall from grace. I really want to be a good writer. I want people read what I write. Now that a few people read my posts, I fear that I will offend someone and horror of all horrors, watch my comments dwindle. I fear I am in some kind of polite circle jerk and no one is saying how weird it is, for fear of rejection. You see, once you have fallen into the denial really hard, you are wary for the rest of your life....if you are lucky.


I want Juancho to post forever. I want him (for very selfish reasons) to entertain me, mention me in his blogs and to tell me what a great writer I am. Now I realize I am stealing his land, and telling him MTV will be great for his single, and all the other bullshit things people say when they want you to do what is right for them, and bad for the artist. I went into the jungle to get him, and now I am wearing a grass skirt. I'd hate to see him go, but I'd rather read his book than laugh about how funny our ride at Munson was. Maybe the golden age of his blogs, and the many spin offs has peaked. Maybe we all need to decide if we are writers or bloggers. Maybe it's a good night of karaoke, but we aren't singers. Time will tell, but for now, I am scratching my head and wondering if I fell again.


W.B.Z.N.


10 comments:

Anonymous said...

And you may ask yourself-Well...How did I get here?



Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down

Letting the days go by/water flowing underground

Into the blue again/after the money's gone

Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground.

Unknown said...

What do we do when we fall?

Juancho said...

Why my good man we pick ourselves up and start anew!

Anonymous said...

I think Juancho just named you a joint for his comments. So, for my own selfish pleasure I will have to see if I can choke your bandwidth can organize a commenting blast that will choke your bandwidth. This is not an act of aggression. I just like to cause you misery.

shins

Ms. Moon said...

Hmmm. Can a blogger not be a writer? I have seen no signs of anyone selling out anything on your blog. I do know what you mean about the circle jerk aspect, but what the hell? Could it possibly be, dear Brother B, that people like what you write?
Because you ARE writing. This may not be pages and it may not be paid for, but it is writing.
As I said before, I love seeing you find your voice. You have a lot of things to talk about with that voice. If people don't want to read here, they won't. Write what you need to and don't worry about comments.
Well, this is how I see it.
Besides, you look good in a grass skirt and what is wrong with that?

nicol said...

You know...I agree with Ms. Moon. All of it. Well, except for the part about the skirt, because I really have no idea. But, hopefully you shave the legs first.

Anonymous said...

hell, that IS the grass skirt on this guy!

Me said...

I think you posted a picture of one of my previous relatives. LOL.

gclark said...

Hey Cuz, The impermanence of all things is to be respected, but that doesn't mean we need to destroy the things we love. I think you love blogging and I love reading it. I may not comment often, but I am here in the background. Hell, even the guy in the cubicle next to me reads your blog (and likes it!) and he doesn't know you or ride a bike. Rock on...Geo.

Human Wrecking Ball said...

Thanks Cuz, I'll be back. I am almost done with the skin shedding.